Unbreakable
by Charmeleonz
Summary: So this is my take on how James made Lily fall for him. Set during their 7th year. Involves a lot of James and Lily stuff, but also the Marauders. My first story so please, let me down easy - hope you like it. :-) Rated M to be safe! I do not own anything!
1. Chapter 1

The year had started off as usual - James had asked her out in his usual ways from the second she stepped The year had started off as usual - James had asked her out in his usual ways from the second she stepped onto platform 9 ¾ and kept it coming for the first two weeks during their seventh year. Just until a very loud run-in in the dungeons – Lily had failed, FAILED, a simple potion because of one of Potter's flying letters and as they left the class room, Severus accidently crashed into her causing her to drop her books, causing Potter to hex him instantly trying to make him apologize. This set her off.

"POTTER!" she felt her eyes fill with tears of anger and fought hard to keep her icy tone from breaking

"Would you just _stop_ it? I don't _need_ you to save me and he didn't mean to crash into me"

"But Lils, he didn't s.." he never got to finish his sentence

"I don't care! Just LEAVE me alone, I don't need you and Potter don't you _DARE _call me LILS – to you it's EVANS!" Lily screamed and bent down to gather her books.

If she hadn't bent down, she would have seen the strange emotion crossing his face – not the usual spur on to keep going. No. Hurt, anger, confusion and an emotion new to him – embarrassment. He only wanted to make Snivellus apologize to her. He slowly backed away and walked with his friends towards the great hall head slightly hunched. Not the usual James Potter act. His friends noticed though and Sirius fought hard to resist the urge to go back there and punch Evans for her ignorance of James true feelings. They were going to have a hard time fixing him up after this. It seemed to be harder and harder to fix their friend after one of his failed attempts with Lily. James just couldn't wrap his head around her constant rejections towards him. Why did she refuse to see that he was just perfect for her, that he wanted to give her everything and that he would die before anything happened to her.

"Come on Prongs, just, keep going – one of these days she'll succumb – who can resist your charms" Sirius tried, again. James just looked at him with a hint of disbelief visible on his face.

"I just don't get it, Padfoot, why does she hate me? She won't even hear me out".

"Maybe you should try a new tactic, Prongs" Sirius suggested, James looked at him with a face as a question mark.

"How, Padfoot?"

"you could try ignoring her – it seems to work for me – ignore the ladies and they'll come running"

Remus snickered "Well, as much as I appreciate your choice of words, Padfoot, I have to add, Lily is no ordinary girl – if she was, she would have succumbed years ago – you might wanna try just talking to her – like I do – just have a normal conversations".

James seemed to ponder this for a while and his face lit up. "I'm gonna go with Sirius' thing – every time Lily ignored me I just wanted her more – it has got to work".

How she ended up crying in the prefects' bathroom was still a mystery to her. He hadn't really done anything, but his bare existence annoyed the crap out of her. He had been absolutely polite and grown-up during their meeting with the prefects acting mature and all. But she could see something in his eyes - she could see that he was putting up an act. She just didn't know what it was. She kept waiting for something and yet, nothing happened – no singing dwarfs, no speeches of his undying love for her and no invitations to go on dates with him. Just a simple "Hey Evans". This sudden ignorance bugged her and no matter how hard she tried to supress it, she couldn't help but feel a little…. She didn't know what that feeling was, but it sure bugged her. Wiping the tears from her eyes she decided to skip the bath and head straight to bed. As she entered the common room she found it to be nearly empty and she realized that she had been in the bathroom for nearly an hour. Alice looked puzzled at Lily's late appearance but with one single look from Lily she knew – it was Potter. Again.

He had ignored her, ever since that day in potions, where she had yelled at him. She hadn't gotten a single word except for some cold nods and an occasional "hey Evans". She didn't like the way he said Evans, so cold and hard. Like she was a villain he had to address in court. But she shouldn't even care about him, it shouldn't bother her. James Potter should not bother her! She should be happy, she was finally free. But she couldn't help that small feeling in her stomach. She _missed _him. NO! Lily Evans – man up! Argh. She slammed the book she was reading shut and sighed loudly. During her little inner fight she failed to notice the entering of a sandy-haired and tired looking boy.

"All right there Lily?" Remus asked with his grave voice "Seem a little frustrated?".

"yeah I'm okay, just working on a charms essay". Lily lied, knowing her feigned voice would give her away.

Remus looked at her and gestured to the chair opposite her "Mind if I sit?"

Lily shook her head. Remus sat down and started reading the book he brought, but she noticed how he turned the pages with forced speed and sighed "What's up, Remus?"

He looked up at her and read her face "Just wondering how you were, haven't seen you 'round much these past few days".

"I've spent a lot of time here, trying to get ahead with my schoolwork". She knew she couldn't fool him. But he just nodded and kept reading. They had been friends for a long time, she had always liked Remus. His attitude towards school resembled her own and he was a true match for her all subjects. When she talked to him she felt like talking to an adult. He looked tired. His grey eyes looked like they were a hundred years old – like they had already seen so much a teenage boy should not have seen. She noticed he had some marks down his neck recently healed scratches and on his hands too. Despite this rather shaggy appearance he still looked good – she noticed he had gotten leaner over the summer, broad shoulders, sharper cheekbones and she smiled – a hint of a beard. Sure, Remus had become a man over the summer. Smiling to herself she could see why Mary had a major crush on this guy. What a couple they would be – Mary with her slightly tanned skin, long curly hair, bubbly laugh and shining brown eyes and Remus with his brooding manliness, serious eyes and caring nature. Too bad both of them were to shy.

"Lily?" Remus looked at her with eyebrows raised.

Lily realised she must have been looking completely stupid staring into nothing with a goofy smile. She chuckled nervously and looked at him. "Sorry Remus I just got caught in thoughts I guess".

"Thinking about James?" this had been his intention all the time, he just had to find the perfect time.

"No, Remus, just wondering about you actually, how come you aren't chasing anyone around the castle like your moronic friends?" Lily shot back – her tone a bit harder than she planned.

Remus smiled weakly but he did fail to hide a faint blush "No one at the moment, Lily". Something in his tone convinced Lily not to approach this subject again. But she did note that blush.

"Oh, okay. Me neither" She replied awkwardly. The silence between them seemed strange. Lily excused herself and started leaving.

"Give him a chance. He really has changed". She froze on the spot and spun around to face Remus, who was now standing. His head far above her own – she looked up at him. "He really has, Lily, he is just trying to give you a break. Just, please Lily – either give him a chance or let him down easy. He's really important to me". Remus smiled and walked past her. Lily stood there for a long time. Right in the middle of the library incapable of moving. James did still think of her. Why did she even care? He was for all she knew still a moronic toe-rag. She composed herself and headed towards her dormitory. Still pondering what Remus told her she reached her bed and flung herself onto it.

"Rough day, Lils?" Marlene asked kindly. She sat next to where Lily was currently grumbling into her pillow. Alice entered the dormitory looking happy with red cheeks and a goofy grin.

Marlene McKinnon was one of Lily's four roommates and also one of her closest friends along with Alice Faber and Mary MacDonald also fellow Gryffindors. The fifth roommate, Charlene, was off to god knows where with her recent victim – male Sirius Black Charlene is.

"Take your date went well, given your annoyingly huge grin, Alice" Marlene stated, giving up on getting a reply from Lily. Alice just nodded with excitement.

"He's just so kind and sweet and man, the boy can kiss". Alice blushed furiously and laughed hysterically. Marlene and Mary joined in. Lily couldn't resist the urge to interrogate Alice and rose from her bed to sit next to Mary as her bed was right next to Alice's.

"He finally kissed you huh?". Lily asked, Alice had been waiting for Frank to kiss her for ages.

"He took me to that place by the lake, and we just talked for hours – and then, as he walked me up to the common room he kissed me. Not just a peck, but for real you know. I felt my toes curl so much I nearly fell". Alice happiness got to Lily as well and she joined the other girls in her hysterical celebration of Alice's successful date.


	2. Chapter 2

As the students had seated themselves in the classroom McGonagall went to the board.

"I've decided that from now till the semester end in December you will work in groups of two and the partner you get will be your partner for this entire semester. I've created the groups with the intent to improve your individual skills. Team up and start working on your nonverbal spells". She started scribbling on the board.

Mary nudged Lily and looked terrified as she was paired with Remus and Alice whined with excitement as she was paired with Frank. Lily waited with a hint of anxiety. Would she be teamed up with JaPOTTER! Not James. Potter. She was not on firstname base with him. And then it happened. She was paired with… BLACK! She was paired with the one person she loathed more than Potter - his partner in crime. Argh. At least Sirius shared her feelings and exclaimed a loud snort and received an evil stare from the professor. The students started to team up.

"So. Evans. What a _pleasure"_ Sirius eyes underlined the heavy sarcasm in his words. Lily just stared at him.

"Can't say the same, Black." Lily smiled with the most fake smile she could accomplish.

"Don't be mean, your favourite target is behind me." He gestured towards James, who was trying very hard not to look at the two of them.

"What do you mean by that?" Lily asked, feeling her temper rising alarmingly. Her cheeks started to flush.

"Oh you know. The usual, you hurting James because he's being nice to you." Now Sirius' eyes were on fire too. Remus looked anxiously at the pair – both clenching their wands while staring madly at each other.

"I don't MEAN to hurt him" Lily hissed. "He could just act like a normal person instead of his stupid showing off".

"He _TRIED_ you oblivious twat". Sirius snarled.

And then Lily punched him. She hit him, right in his face causing a serious nosebleed.

"MS. EVANS! WHAT ON EARTH IS GOING ON?" McGonagall shouted with disbelief.

"Sorry, professor, I lost my temper". Lily's hand hurt and she was blushing with embarrassment and anger.

"Both of you to the hospital wing and then detention for a week! AND fifty points from Gryffindor. I expected more from you, Ms. Evans, you're Head Girl".

"Woa, detention? I'm the innocent victim here, professor" Sirius shouted.

"Many things can be said about you Mr. Black, but innocent is not one of them." McGonagall stated coolly.

As they left the classroom Lily noted James' confused look and Remus' overbearing _Iknewthiswouldhappenlook_. Madam Pomfrey quickly stopped Sirius' bleeding but ordered him to stay for a couple of hours. Lily just suffered some bruising and was quickly released. Once she was back in the common room she realized that she forgot her watch in the hospital wing and went to get it.

Slowly entering through the doors she walked past Sirius' bed and found him to be a sleep. She went to the room of belongings and found her watch. But before she could exit she heard a familiar voice.

"WHAT the hell was that, Padfoot?" Potter asked, his voice riled-up.

"Don't know – crazy ginger slays innocent victim" Sirius tried to be funny.

"DON'T call her crazy – whatever happened, _sure_ you deserved it". Potter was defending her. Lily felt a strange twinge in her stomach. Was it guilt? No, she had nothing to feel guilty about.

"Come on man, are you defending her? you idiot! I was just trying to tell her, how much hurt she I causing you!" Sirius defended himself.

"But, Padfoot" Potter sounded weird, like he was sad "that is none of your business. I know she doesn't like me, and probably never will. But, I love her. I really do. So much that it hurts. And I don't care. I just want her to be happy and Padfoot, I CAN'T ignore her anymore. I just can't". His voice broke and the last words were barely audible.

"I know, Prongs, I know. I just can't stand seeing you hurt, that's all". Sirius sounded sad as well.

Lily felt something inside of her, this time it was definitely guilt. She had to talk to him. What she was going to say would just have to come at the moment. She just didn't want to be the cause of Potter. James. Sounding like that. She didn't like to hurt people. Not even James. She thought his first name, and it felt somehow weird. But good weird. James. She liked the name. Her little realisation was interrupted by Sirius.

"Well, you better get outta here before we turn into a pair of loveydoveys, eh?" Sirius laughed and Lily heard James' chair scrape against the floor as he rose and soon heard him departing. She took a deep breath and left her hiding place. Sirius looked up in horror and his face almost instantly turned into a sneer.

"Well there you go Evans, the idiot still loves you." He didn't sound evil, just like he had given up.

"I heard it, and I'm gonna talk to him, okay?" It came out like a question, as if she was asking Sirius' permission to go and talk to James. Sirius just nodded. She started to walk away and as she reached the doors

"Anyone hears about this whole _confessionthingy_ you're dead. Get it". It was meant as a threat but came out more as a pleading.

"Don't hold your breath, Black, no one would even believe me. You're just not the type that has feelings".

With those words she strode out and went on to find James. She had to talk to him. James was sitting in the common room which was nearly empty. Lily walked through the portrait hole and went to stand beside the couch where James and Remus were in the middle of an aggressive game of chess.

"James" It felt strange to use his name and it sure got his attention, as well as the attention of the rest of the room "can I talk to you for a minute, in private?" He looked rather startled but nodded and stood up next to her. She gestured towards the window furthest away and took in a deep breath. She saw him exchange a glance with Remus who returned an encouraging smile.

"James, I'm sorry I punched Sirius" she started. She held up a finger to silence him as she was about to speak.

"He got me really mad, because he said something that hurt me. I don't _like_ to hurt you. It's just. Argh Po..James, I would like if we could try and be friends?" She sighed and felt a thousand times better than she had done fifteen minutes ago.

James, well James seemed to be in a state of chock. His mouth hanging slightly open and his face an expression of complete disorientation. He slowly raised his hand to ruffle his hair and she caught it midway "why don't you stop doing that?" he looked even more disorientated and dropped his hand like he had been burned.

"…Eh" was all he managed to choke out as she just kept staring at him. She stared at him with those gorgeous green eyes. And then something happened that he had never experienced before. She smiled. Lily was actually smiling at him, not big, but a small twinge at the corners of her mouth. This got his mind going.

"So, friends?" he asked, Lily nodded.

"Can I call you Lily? I mean, you called me James?" he sounded like he didn't believe what was happening.

"I guess you can" Lily saw how his face slowly turned into a beam and an enormous smile spread across his face.

"So, friends James, which means that I expect you to actually make normal conversations with me and we can do our duty as Head boy and girl with no fights– no invitations right? Just friends?" She made it sound harsher than she intended to, but she didn't want to get his hopes up. He just nodded frantically. She put her hand on his shoulder as a kind of proving to him that is was for real. Then she walked past him and headed up to her dormitory. She didn't know that she had just made something explode inside of James Potter who was currently and literally jumping up and down with excitement. She just knew that she had liked the way his eyes shone when she had been nice to him, she liked the way he had accepted her kind of apology and truce. And no matter how much she tried lying to herself she had liked the way she felt when she had touched him. His hand and his shoulder. The girls entered the dormitory and Lily knew she was up for a third degree and told them everything.

"Do you have feelings for him, Lily?" Marlene asked.

"No, I don't think so. I just like the James I just saw – like a friend. That's it". Lily argued, probably trying more to convince herself than her friends. They weren't fooled. They knew her better. But they let it rest.

"Anyway, Mary, how about you and Remus?" Lily changed the subject.

"Oh, Lily, I just fell even harder. He's just perfect. Oh, and such a gentleman. He has literally no faults and man, he's just so grown-up and haaaawt". Mary sighed and blushed and broke down into hysterical laughter, the other girls joined in. They laughed for hours and that was just what they all needed.


	3. Chapter 3

"JAMES POTTER I HOPE YOU HAVE AN AWFUL GREAT EXPLANATION FOR DITCHING OUR ROUNDS AND SENDING SOME PREFECT. I THOUHGT WE HAD A DE…." Lily banged the door to the boys' dormitory open and was completely taken aback by the sight that met her. There right in front of her raging body were three very handsome Mauraders standing with nothing but towels wrapped around their lower bodies and a look of true horror on their faces. Lily blushed furiously but her body felt like it had been nailed to the floor. She just stared at James with burning cheeks and he just stared back. His face slowly turning into a grin.

"Well I'm sorry I missed rounds, but I asked one of the prefects to cover for me because I had, err, " He exchanged a glance with Remus, almost as if asking permission "some business to attend to last night" James answered rather shakily but face still huge grin.

"Oh" was all she managed to answer. Man, his body was enchanting her. She forced her eyes up to meet his.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She hated how her voice sounding unsteady.

"Well, I was planning to, but then I got distracted – I left you a note in your charms book. But I'm sorry if you didn't get the message". He sounded genuinely and smiled at her. He didn't fail to notice how her eyes had travelled down his body and he couldn't help himself as he automatically flexed his posture. She just blushed harder. He knew she blushed from anger, but he was almost sure that some of the blushing was caused by his almost naked form.

"Oh, okay. No I didn't get it. Next time, just tell me in person thanks." Lily stated and finally managed to make her feet move. But before she could flee the scene Sirius had to make her even more embarrassed.

"Oi, Prongsie, better cover up your body. Evans can't keep her eyes off you". His laughter died from the punch James aimed straight at his solar plexus and as they wrestled on the floor Lily ran out of their dormitory. The laughter in the boys' dormitory lasted all morning and James felt a sensational feeling growing in his stomach. Lily had looked at him, at his body and from her facial reaction she had liked it. Of course, some of the blushing was due to her rage, but still. She had looked at him, really _looked_.

Lily still felt rather unsettled as she slowly ate her breakfast. She had been up to do the morning rounds and had been infuriated when the Gryffindor prefect had shown up on James' orders instead of himself. Then she had confronted him but had ended up looking like a complete fool. Why on earth did he have to be nearly naked when she was trying to be mad at him and then Sirius had pointed out that she actually had looked at him and the worst part was that it was _TRUE. _She, Lily Evans had actually looked at James Potter and man she enjoyed what she had seen. It was a given that he was muscular but she had not expected his body to be that well-built. His upper-body was like a body of a model, tanned and neither had she failed to notice just how his six-pack ended perfectly in a v-shape towel-covered lower body. OH BLOODY HELL, no chance in hell she was thinking about James Potter's abs. Lily pierced the beans on her plate with unnecessary force and accidently hit Alice's arm in the process.

"Woa, Lily, what the hell is going on? Why are you trying to kill your breakfast?" Alice looked at Lily with her eyebrows raised and Marlene and Mary looked up from their books with curious eyes.

"Did James break the pact? I've only seen you this grumpy when you've had a run-in with Potter?" Marlene added.

Lily hesitated, she could tell them and spare the details but she also knew that Sirius was going to mock her for all eternity any way. She decided to be straight with them "No, not really, well, I thought he had ditched me, but he actually had left me a note. But the worst part was that I was all worked up and as I banged their door open he was almost bloody naked and I accidently checked him out I guess". Lily spoke so fast she nearly choked on the bean she was still chewing.

"Well, does he look as good as the rumour say?" Marlene said with laughter thick in her voice. Oh she could just see the situation before her eyes.

"Oh yes, he is decent looking.."

"COME ON Lily, decent?" Alice almost shouted

"ALL RIGHT! HE is really fit and yes he lives up to every rumour we've ever heard". Lily once again found her face blushing as she recalled the image of James in the towel and imagined her face must have looked ridiculous if you were to believe the hysterical laughter that had erupted from Alice, Mary and Marlene.

"What's so funny girls, Lily told you about her little adventure this morning?" A familiar voice sounded behind Lily and she felt cold running down her back

"Oh, Sirius, I was just telling the girls about your little threesome this morning". Lily shot back

"I gotta admit, Lily, I'm surprised you had time to notice, you know, with all the staring. And drooling" Sirius started to laugh and once again he was cut off with a fierce hit from James and a vicious stare. "All right, sorry, Lils". Sirius sounded anything but sorry.

Lily just ignored him and turned to James "remember we have a meeting this afternoon and rounds tonight". He just smiled at her and nodded. Argh, she hated when he did that. Acted all nonchalant. The mauraders left the great hall and went back to their dormitories. The first full moon had been on a Friday, so they had the entire weekend to recover. They had all been shocked by Lily unexpected visit given that Peter was, in fact, still running around like a rat, which they hoped Lily hadn't noticed. They had had so much fun with Lily's reaction, than to really think about the fact that she had seen Remus too, scars and wounds fresh and visible. That thought had hit them later on as Remus, wincing from a particularly nasty cut on his back pain, put on clothes.

"Really think she didn't notice? I mean, she never saw my back, but thanks to your bloody ants, I've got quite a lot of wounds on my chest as well". Remus asked, sounding slightly annoyed, as they entered the portrait hole. "I mean, I haven't looked this bad for a long time. WHAT the hell happened?" He knew they were holding something back and demanded an explanation as soon as they were safely in their dorm.

"Well, Moony, it seems that your wolfy part has got quite some problems with authority" James said with a hint of amusement.

"What did I do?"

"Well, James dared to walk out in front of you and you clearly saw that as a challenge so you attacked him". Sirius started.

"Quite aggressively, Moony, so I had to fight back and you just happened to back down as I pierced your chest with my antlers".

"I'm sorry Prongs. But I told you to never challenge me". Remus voice fell. He had attacked his friends, this time not playfully. He felt a bad mood creep up on him. This seemed to be very visible so he suddenly found himself pinned to his bed by one friend and to other attacking him with a vicious tickling attack.

"Brighten up, Moony, no harm done – you suffered the most". James winked at him and pointed to his chest. Remus sighed, noting just how much his chest hurt and decided to leave his roommates for some quiet time in the library.

* * *

Lily's back was aching from her bent position as she slowly stretched her arms after an hour long study session, god how she hated advanced transfiguration. She hadn't noticed the time and was shocked as James voice woke her from her trance.

"Ready for late rounds, Lily?" it was still new for them having James using her name without her telling him of about it.

She nodded and tried stifling a yawn, failing badly and this wasn't unnoticed by James.

"Looking tired there Lily, sure you're up for it?" He sounded concerned. "Maybe you should get some sleep, I'll just bring Moony".

Lily was about to protest as Remus went to stand by James "really Lily, go to bed, I'll help James with rounds".

She knew she wasn't going to win and started climbing the stairs to her dormitory with a smile and a "thanks guys" over her shoulder.

The two boys left the common room and started to patrol the corridors of the ancient castle. They discussed the upcoming Hogsmeade trip, James wondering if he could ask Lily as a _friend_. Remus helped him coming up with ways to ask her without his innuendo surfacing. The great hall seemed empty but Remus suddenly stopped and closed his eyes. James looked confused at his friend

"Everything okay there Moony?" he asked still staring intently at his friend

"I think someone is crying". Remus stated focussing his hearing on the quiet sobs trying to locate them

"What, I don't hear anything. Damn Moony, is this your overly sensitive woolfy ears working now?" The boys knew that Remus had advanced senses especially right after a transformation. James was utterly impressed with his friend's abilities and had relied on them a lot before they had their map. Remus' senses were Madam Norris worthy and the cat seemed to loath Remus more than she loathed the rest of the students. She could probably sense his _furr_y _problem_.

"I think it's this way" Remus started walking at a brisk pace stopping now and again to locate the sobs that eventually led the boys to an abandoned classroom in the dungeon. The two boys entered and were horrified at the sight – chairs, tables and cupboards were torn and a faint smell of burnt wood hung heavy in the air. Remus instantly went to the corner and found a small pink haired girl crying heavily, her legs seemed to be locked together and she had a small wound on her forehead.

"James, over here" Remus voice was concerned, but with a hint of anger towards whoever had done something like this to a second year.

James quickly joined Remus and was shocked to find Nymphadora Tonks to be the victim. Hatred built up inside of him as he had a strong idea of who could have done this.

"Hey Tonks" Remus tried, but the girl refused to leave her hands from her face. She just kept crying and her body shivered from the cold going straight through her cloak.

"It's all right now, let's get you to the hospital wing" Remus tried. That had her look up at them

"NO. Not the hospital. It's after hours and I wasn't supposed to be out from the common room" She sobbed and seemed so petrified at the thought that the boys found they could do nothing but take her to the common room. Remus healed the wound on her forehead, then freed her legs from their binding spell and motioned for her to take his hand and as she tried to get onto her feet, her legs failed her and she fell into Remus who easily caught her.

"I think you have to carry her, Moony, seems like a bad spell". James added and Remus quickly swept the small girl up into his arms. She continued sobbing quietly into his chest but her body quickly warmed up as they climbed the stairs for the seventh floor. The fat lady was snoring loudly as they approached and James had to knock her frame rather violently for her to wake up, she gave them a wicked stare and demanded the password.

"Pullivit" James growled back and she let them enter. The common room was empty and given her previous fall they decided to bring her up to their own dormitory. The staircase to the girls' dormitories was impossible to force and there was no way she could climb them on her own. James led the way into theirown dorm only to find Sirius waiting for them impatiently, Peter was at detention somewhere and Frank was up to no good, _god-knows-where,_ with Alice.

"What took you two girls so long? thought I would have to send out a search party". He quickly stopped his ranting as he saw the small figure in Remus' arms. His face turned into an awful sneer as he realised his favourite cousin's small daughter was the figure.

"WHAAT the hell happened" He demanded jumping from his bed to examine his relative as Remus put her on his bed and covered her tightly with his blanket. She had stopped crying, but her face showed her emotions just fine. She clung to Remus' cloak and he sat awkwardly and slowly let his arms around her. He tried soothing her and when she was calm, she turned to face her cousin.

"Oh Sirius" new tears welled up in her eyes as she took in the expression on her cousin face. "It was not my fault, please don't be mad at me" her voice broke

"NO, No, I'm not mad at you, Tonksie, I'm worried". Sirius stated, hatred and anger clear in his voice

Tonks tried talking again "I was just in the library as Regulus came and said I should follow him because you wanted to talk to me" she sniffled again and failed to notice how Sirius' face turned into a grimace of hatred at the mention of his brother and his apparent role in this. "I went with him, but I started to worry as he led me down to the dungeons, but he kept pulling me with him and then we were in this classroom and my legs stopped working. And then _she_ started laughing and hexed me and they were all laughing, calling me a freak, and then the big troll, Avery, cut my forehead with some hex, because I wouldn't turn my hair green." Tonks started crying again.

The reference to a certain she was no doubt Sirius' cousin and Tonks' aunt Bellatrix Black. Sirius was now radiating with hatred and was cursing under his breath,

But Tonks spoke again. "Then they all freaked out as I started bleeding and then I tried to hex them, and then Regulus jumped in front of me and then the fight started and that's how all the furniture was burnt and then they ran off. _He just left me, Sirius_" her voice broke again as she realised the betrayal from the other cousin.

The boys managed to calm her down, well, mostly Remus who Tonks was still clinging to and as she slowly became more relaxed and eventually fell asleep, her head still on Remus' shoulder.

"What the _hell_ is that bitch _**thinking**_? Hexing me is one thing, but going for _her_, I mean she's just a bloody second year and what the hell is that twat of a brother of mine thinking by setting her up for that trap". Sirius was merely growling the words as he tried to comprehend just how his entire family seemed to be joining the dark side.

They spent most of the night coming up with a plan of revenge and at some point they fell asleep, even Remus, who had managed to move slightly, so he was now sitting with his back against the wall, while Tonks was fast asleep resting her head against his arm which she also still clung to.

As morning approached they were all awoken by the entrance of a goofy-looking Frank Longbottom with a rather torn shirt and a bunch of lovebites down his neck.

"Take it, that you've had a pleasant night, Mr. Longbottom". Sirius addressed their friend rather formal and then added "but do you mind covering your lovebites, we have an under aged visitor"

Sirius nodded towards Remus' bed, where Tonks were beginning to stir. Frank nodded and looked at the scenario rather puzzled, he was quickly explained the situation and shook his head at their Slytherin peers. Remus had lost feeling in his arm a while ago but couldn't bear waking up Tonks, who was now visibly drooling at his cloak. Sirius didn't fail to point this out and immediately started teasing Tonks about it the second she opened her eyes. She took a second to realize where she was and who she was still clinging to and then with an awkward movement she freed herself and nearly fell out of the bed as she tried to escape, while her face was burning with embarrassment.

"Sure you're okay there, Tonksie?" Sirius asked, acting all protective big brother on her, "Do you want to swing by the hospital wing?"

"No, I'm fine". She tried to stand on her toes to look a bit taller, but the three boys surrounding her didn't look convinced.

"I just wanna go to my own dormitory before anyone notices anything." She was so embarrassed and blushed every time she looked at Remus.

"All right, but it's only six o'clock, so you can probably sneak up without anyone noticing". Just as James finished this sentence there was a knock on their door. No other than a rather confused Lily Evans was entering their dorm wearing nothing but a pair of shorts and a tank-top. She looked from one marauder to another and then to Tonks standing in the middle of this odd scenario. Before she could even raise her voice Remus was rapidly telling her of the events of the previous night and the shock on her face as she heard it was very similar to their own reaction to the attack.

"I think we should tell McGonagall, this is outrageous" Lily stated, ignoring how James was just ogling her.

"NO!" never before had Lily heard such a small person yell so loudly.

She looked at Tonks, but the face that met her clearly showed no room for negotiation. "Are you sure, I mean, they could be expelled?"

"No, Lily, I don't want to tell on them. It'll just make it worse and I do have some pride". The small girl seemed to me growing a few inches as she made her point and suddenly no one doubted her relation to Sirius as she resembled the same attitude to perfection. Sirius smirked and proudly padded her on the shoulder.

"That's what I like to hear, Nymphadora, so do I have your permission to hex my dear cousin to oblivion?" he looked at her and a smile spread across his face as she slowly nodded at him. "It's settled then! We take our own revenge and keep the teachers out of this. They just made it personal". Sirius stated, sounding like some mafia leader.

Lily seemed to be lost for words, decided not to argue and just held out her hand towards Tonks. "Let's go and get you cleaned up and then get some breakfast, see you at breakfast in an hour?" She addressed the boys as she led Tonks out of their dorm. They nodded and went straight to planning their revenge as the girls left.


	4. Chapter 4

The first two months of their seventh year had gone quickly and as they were half through November the first Hogsmeade trip was announced. James had come up with a bunch of ways to ask Lily to accompany him to Hogsmeade as friends to prove his maturity and maybe even get a hug. She hadn't hugged him yet, but he was hoping that it could happen. Now he just had to time it perfectly so she would agree to go, _as friends. _Lily kind of knew that James was going to ask her to go with him and she had decided that she wouldn't mind, as long as he behaved. She had to act like she didn't know, but Remus had given her a small heads up about James' plans. James spent the entire Friday prepping himself like it was the Quidditch finals. He was going to ask her when they had rounds that night and was so excited that he was waiting nearly ten minutes at the portrait hole before Lily was ready. They went out of the portrait hole and started to patrol the castle. The first ten minutes were silent; a good silence thought Lily, but James was nervous and had a hard time appreciating the silence. He swallowed and began talking.

"So, Lily, I really like being your friend". He smiled at her and was pleased when she returned the smile. He still hadn't gotten used to her smiling _at him. _

"It's nice, James, I like having you as a friend too".

"Uhm, yeah, there is just something that I, uhm, would like to, uhm, ask you". Never before had James had troubles talking to a girl but Lily was no ordinary girl. She had his heart and had enchanted him for good. He stopped walking and turned to face her. "So yeah, I thought that maybe, uhm, you would want to, uhm, go to Hogsmeade with me, AS friends of course". He quickly added and looked down at her with a slightly worried expression. Lily couldn't help but feel a bit of guilt, she never had let him down easy.

"Well James, I think I would like to go with you, as friends". Her answer took him by surprise and it took him a while to comprehend that she had just agreed to go to Hogsmeade with him. "But I really think we should get back". They headed back to their common room and as they separated to go to their respective James was finally able to speak

"Goodnight, Lily, see you tomorrow". She just nodded and smiled at him

"Goodnight James".

* * *

Lily woke up early Saturday and couldn't help but feel excited about their visit to Hogsmeade. She was running low on her favourite candy, she needed some ink bottles, oh, and she was going with James. She had gotten used to the fact that the two of them were friends and had decided that she liked the fact that they were going to go together. The only part she feared was the reaction from the rest of the school when seeing James and Lily go together. There had been a lot less fights between them and it seemed that the rest of the school was just waiting for some action on their part. The only recent action had been the Marauders revenge on the Slytherins which had involved a lot of crying, screaming and swearing as the wannabe black marks on their arms had been turned into nude pictures of Bellatrix and Snape in compromising situations, the silver and green banners kept yelling at the students seated beneath them constantly insulting them and to top it off the Marauders had hexed their food and the involved Slytherins were currently occupying the hospital wing with a nasty boil plague. The marauders had all been in either detention or in class and could therefore not be blamed all though everyone seemed to know that they were responsible. Lily was hoping that this would keep her and James new companionship down for a while.

The entrance hall was slowly filling up with excited students in their regular clothes rather than school robes and the buzz was encouraged by the skies outside - heavy skies indicating snow. Lily approached the line of students with Alice, Marlene and Mary and she quickly spotted James who was gesturing for her to join him. She said farewell to her friends and went to James' side. He was wearing jeans, sneakers and a blue jumper and Lily couldn't help but notice that he looked good. Smiling down at her he took in her appearance and felt a strange sensation in his stomach as the line started moving. Lily Evans was going with him and she hadn't bailed on him. He couldn't believe his own luck. Lily was glad that she had chosen to be dressed casually as well and was a bit annoyed with herself for the hour she had spent in her dorm fussing about what she should wear.

"So, where do you want to go first, Lily" James asked as they entered Hogsmeade

"I need to get new quills and ink and we have to go to Honeydukes". Lily spoke excitedly and then added "then we can get a butterbeer at The Three Broomsticks and then maybe you want to go to Zonko's?"

James smiled and decided not to tell her that he, in fact, could go to Zonko's whenever he liked. He just nodded "Ok, you're in charge, ma'am" grinning at her as he held the door to the first shop they walked into. James walked by Lily for most of the morning and he behaved very well which wasn't unnoticed by Lily. They entered Honeydukes and Lily had to restrain herself or she would have spent all of her gold then and there. She bought the candy she had wanted and stopped to admire a huge chocolate model of Hogwarts and nearly fainted as she saw the price. James nudged her on the arm and motioned for them to go outside she cast one last glance at the beautiful chocolate and followed him out. When on the street James suddenly stopped

"Lily, I, er, forgot something in Honeydukes, mind if I go and get it?" Lily nodded and waited right outside the shop.

James returned shortly thereafter with his hand on his back and went to stand next to Lily, still not showing what he held behind him.

"Close your eyes Lily" he ordered and she eyed him suspiciously before slowly closing her eyes. "Okay, open up" Lily gasped when she saw what he held in front of her. He had bought her the chocolate castle. She was lost for words.

"Tha-ank, you James" she stuttered still amazed at the beautiful creation shining now in her hands. She would never have it in her to eat it, but she sure loved it. "James, this is too much, I cannot accept it". Lily tried to give him back the castle but he refused.

"I want you to have it, I saw how you looked at it and it will remind you of me". She didn't know how she was going to thank him but something inside her made her move closer to him. She placed the chocolate in the bag and put it down and then she did something that shocked both of them. She slowly placed her arms around his waist and hugged him and felt how he slowly snuck his arms around her and put his head on hers. Shivering from something else than the cold Lily stepped back. As a reward for the gift and an attempt to shake of the feeling she had had, when they hugged, Lily suggested they went into the three broomsticks to get some butterbeer. They joined Remus and Sirius, who were already inside enjoying their drinks. Sirius raised his eyebrows as Lily and James sat opposite him, but next to each other.

"Well I see that you're still alive, prongs." He stated flatly almost as if he had expected the pair of them at least fighting a little bit.

Lily just glared at him "Well, James have behaved very well this entire time, Black". He just sighed and lifted his bottle to take another sip.

The four of them sat there and Lily actually enjoyed herself as the boys started to discuss the outcome of their prank and went on to discussing just how Sirius ended up without a date this time. Lily had actually been wondering how Black, the womanizer of Hogwarts, had ended up without a date.

"James, someone had to accompany poor Moony here, he haven't had a date in ages, unless you count my cousin's visit last weekend" Sirius winked at a blushing Remus who in return threw a handful of sugar at him

"Shut it, Padfoot, I saved your cousin and she fell asleep on my arm". Remus defended himself but the blush was still visible on his neck.

"I think she is developing a crush on you" Sirius stated, and continued "She always sputters whenever you're around and her hair always turns extremely pink". He was now laughing loudly and James and Lily joined him. they had all seen how Tonks had become even more clumsy and awkward whenever Remus was around.

"Well, I'm sorry to ruin your fun, but she's twelve and just stop it". Remus growled at them and earned himself another round of laughter.

"Hey guys, what's so funny?" Frank Longbottom asked his arm wrapped around Alice's waist, Mary and Marlene was standing next to them.

"Just Remus" Sirius sputtered trying to stop his laughter

"Well, it has begun to snow and you know guys, we still owe the girls one hell of a snowball fight after their little prank last year". Frank reminded his fellow dorm mates and they all thought back to December last year, where the girls had hexed a bunch of snow into their dorm and onto their beds, while they were asleep. Remus, James and Sirius quickly looked at each other and soon all of the Gryffindors were outside the city building forts or aiming snow balls at the enemy. The girls were losing badly and decided to take a drastic measure and on the count of three they threw themselves into the boys' fort and started attacking them. Taken aback by the girls' sudden attack the boys were quick to recover the girls were once again the targets, Frank and Alice was fighting playfully but Alice managed to make Frank surrender with a kiss. Lily forced snow down James shirt and he took revenge by throwing snow into her face. Remus and Mary was wrestling as he tried to hold her down and they crashed the wall of the fort as Mary fought like a hippogriff to avoid the huge snowball Remus was aiming at her. Lily had once again managed to escape James and as he lunged for her the earth beneath them disappeared. They had fallen into a huge hole in the ground which had been covered with the snow. Lily landed on top of James and looked shyly down at him through her hair that was now covering her head. He slowly lifted a hand and brushed it aside. He noticed how her cheeks were burning and somehow made her freckles more visible, he was no more than a few centimetres from her lips. God, he longed to kiss them, but fought hard against it. Little did he know that the electricity he felt in his body was the same in Lily's. She was shocked by the force of the electric jolt she felt in her body as she took in the look on James face. His glasses had been knocked off, but he still looked dazzling. His eyes stared dreamily at her and he didn't seem to mind that he was carrying all of her weight. He rose his head and as their lips was millimetres away they heard the shouts above them and the moment was ruined. Lily quickly sat up and brushed the snow of herself blushing as she realized what had nearly happened. Suddenly Sirius head was above them and he shouted to the rest of their friends

"FOUND THEM". He looked at them and grinned slightly. If anyone could sense sexual tension it was Sirius.

They climbed out of the hole and started to go back towards the school. Their arms would touch briefly and they would retreat as if they had been burnt. They didn't talk much on their way back and there was an almost awkward silence between them. They had shared a moment but it had been interrupted. James couldn't believe how unlucky he was but Lily was literally faced with the fact she for so long had been denying. She was beginning to fall for James Potter.


	5. Chapter 5

Christmas was fast approaching and both Lily and James had found December to be very busy and had therefore barely had had a chance to talk after their date and almost kiss in Hogsmeade. They would occasionally say goodnight and hug but that seemed to be it. Lily was trying hard to deal with the fact that she was falling for James and her dorm-mates were not for much help as their only replies had been various versions of "_I told you so". _James on the other hand had had his head full of the upcoming Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Slytherin, full moon and the disappointment of not kissing Lily and his overthinking had eventually brought on a vicious fight between him and Sirius. They both lay panting on the floor of the dorm with Peter and Remus staring at them with amusement.

"Seriously, Prongs, Mate, please stop talking about Lily and stop _blaming_ me". Sirius gasped for the hundredth time.

"I swear, Padfoot, you wrecked my first kiss with Lily". James retorted sounding a lot less angry and he did know deep down that Sirius was not to blame.

"Well, as much as I enjoy your childish behaviour we should be getting to dinner, I'm starving, oh, and both of you should eat and be ready for tomorrow – we wouldn't want Slytherin to win" Remus cut in and his statement was followed by his rumbling stomach.

Laughing the boys got up and went to get dinner and soon they were seated in the great hall chatting about tactics and how to beat the Slytherins.

"We have de bebber team indeed, but they're hube dose green fabbots" Sirius argued with his mouth full and accidently sharing his almost chewed chicken with a disgusted Remus "Sowwy, Moobby" he tried.

"Come again, Padfoot, without food?"

"Our team is better, but they're awfully huge those Crabbe and Goyle fellas". Sirius said again, this time understandable to his mates.

"I know, but we have speed, elegance and an awful lot of talent – we're gonna nail it". James was sure of his team and his confidence calmed the rest of the team as they ate their food and prepared for the match.

* * *

Lily had skipped dinner and was sitting in the common room deep in thought, tonight she would have to do rounds with James for the first time since their almost kiss and she knew that she would have to deal with him tonight. Having accepted that she was starting to see James as a friend, maybe more, well, definitely more than a friend but still feeling obligated not to fall for him without being sure of his intentions she found herself in an extremely weird situation. She wasn't sure whether James was just going to claim her as some price and then toss her away once the excitement cooled off or if he really truly wanted to be with her. She heard them approaching and turned to see the odd companionships those four boys made – Sirius, the born leader with long hair and looks that made almost every girl week in the knees, James, the Quidditch captain, untidy black hair and looks similar to Sirius' all though less rebellious, Remus, a bit taller than the others, sandy-coloured hair and strangely kind eyes with a hint of sadness and Peter, small, chubby and rather unfitting with the three other handsome marauders. As if he could sense her eyes on them James head snapped up and a huge smile spread across his features as he saw her. Lily got up and walked towards them with a determined face.

"James, let's go now, so you can get a good night sleep before the match tomorrow". She smiled up at him and walked towards the portrait hole

James followed and soon they were alone in the corridor as the Fat Lady shut the entrance behind them an d both were suddenly washed over with an unpleasant silence as they slowly began patrolling. They walked for a few minutes neither knowing how to start. Lily eventually broke the unbearable silence

"So, James, are you ready for tomorrow?" she tried and her tactic worked, soon James was babbling about his expectations for the upcoming match and how he intended to destroy the Slytherins.

They were slowly walking back towards the seventh floor and as they approached the final corridor James came to a halt "Lily, wait" and Lily gulped before turning to face him. The dim light made it hard for her to see his face but she could make out he wore a rather worried expression. She felt an urge in her to stroke his cheek and bring back his smile but she held back waiting for him to talk

"Lily, I, um, I think that we need to talk about" he stuttered and she could see his face slowly turned crimson "you know, what happened in Hogsmeade". He managed to choke out but held up a hand to silence her as she opened her mouth to speak

"Please Lily, let me speak" she nodded and gave him a moment to gather his thoughts "I really, _really, _like you and I was so happy when you agreed to go with me and I kept wanting to compliment you but you always surprised me and you make me so darn nervous and I cannot keep my head clear whenever you are around" he was starting to babble again and it went so fast that Lily had to concentrate to understand. He lowered his voice to a whisper and looked straight into her eyes "I guess, what I want to say is, that, uhm, I really want you to be with me and Lily, you are truly the most beautiful woman I have ever met". There was a long moment and suddenly Lily blushed furiously looking towards the ceiling. James followed her gaze and noticed the small mistletoe growing rapidly above their heads. He blushed too and slowly put both of his hand on the sides of her face forcing her to look at him and as their eyes met, Lily suddenly knew that he would not hurt her.

"I like you too, James" she whispered and felt him freeze as the words entered his mind. "I want to be with you, too". And then they kissed. Lily suddenly found her arms around his neck and one hand in his surprisingly soft hair. James had his arms wrapped around her waist holding onto her as if she was about to disappear. So many feelings rushed through them as they realized just how much they needed each other and they felt the world stopped turning as they broke off to breathe staring into each other eyes.

They were both so engrossed in their first kiss that none of them had noticed their audience - a tall, skinny boy with greasy hair with a disbelieving look on his face. James and Lily were woken from their trance by an explosion above them and saw how the now burning mistletoe landed between them and as they looked around, they saw him. He was just standing a few metres away from them his back against the portrait hole his wand aimed at the pair of them, he didn't say anything bit his face betrayed him. Suddenly the portrait hole swung open and Mary came out with a furious expression on her face followed by Remus and Sirius.

"SEVERUS! I told you to bugger off, what did you do? I heard an explosion – stop haunting Li…" She was cut off as she saw them in their embrace and she looked confused from Severus, to Remus and Sirius, to James and Lily and suddenly understanding was visible on her face.

Snape lowered his wand and ran off at a furious pace. Lily realised that she was still in fact very close to James and began to untangle herself as she saw the smug faces on Remus and Sirius. James seemed to be nailed to the ground and just stood with a goofy grin on his face. Mary tilted her head slightly and looked at Lily with the strangest impression.

"Well, Moony and Mary, it seems that we've just interrupted something here. How 'bout we leave these two and head back in" Sirius snickered and climbed through the portrait hole quickly followed by Remus and Mary. Back in the corridor Lily was still trying to comprehend what had just happened. She had kissed James, and she had liked it. She had confessed that she liked him and then Severus had disrupted their moment and now he was haunting her as she recalled their last conversation before he had called her the unforgivable

"_Lily Evans, swear that you will never go out with him" He looked at her with pleading eyes and she had laughed at him "Please, Sev, I would rather die than go on a date with James Potter." He had accepted her answer and they had continued to study before being interrupted by the Marauders and then it had happened. He had called her Mudblood and ended their friendship with a single word, causing Lily to hurt for a long time. She had lost her best friend. _

She knew that he was hurting; she had seen it on his face as he ran. She knew that he would cry and a part of her wanted to go and comfort him, but another part kept fighting it. He had ended their friendship and she would never forgive him. _Never. _She was abruptly interrupted by James who was looking at her with a worried expression.

"Are you okay, Lily?"

"I'm just tired James, we should get to bed now". She turned her back to him and entered the common room. She heard him follow her and turned towards a visibly hurt James and she felt bad, but she needed to be alone.

"Goodnight James" she sighed and ran up the stairs and threw herself onto her bed. She didn't want to talk to anyone and ignored Mary's explanation about how Snape had threatened to stay all night to get Lily to talk to him and how she had failed to warn Lily. Lily knew it wasn't James fault, she had kissed him back and she had confessed that she liked him and then she had run off and left him hurting. She had to stop herself from running to the boys' dormitory to apologize. She would have to fix this before the game, fix James, she couldn't bear to be the one to cause him so much hurt. She had to fix _them. _Whatever they were.

James had barely slept that night and with one look as he entered the dorm he had them realize that he didn't want to talk to them. He hid in his bed behind the curtains and tried to understand what had made Lily so different. They had kissed and he had felt like the luckiest man alive. She had said that she had liked him too and everything had been perfect. Then Snivellus had wrecked it all and Lily turned all weird and distant and left him. He was hurting and tried to fight the creeping feeling that Lily _loved_ Snivellus.

* * *

The morning had been rushed and Sirius was once again on the edge wanting to smack that deadpanned Lily Evans for hurting his best friend. His best friend and team captain was just staring into nothing as they were changing into their Quidditch robes and Sirius had not been able to make him eat before the game. They were going to lose if James was not on his best and it was all Lily Evans fault. Sirius was fuming and had to do the tactical pep talk before the match and the Gryffindor team were full of disbelief as their usual cocky and confident captain barely said anything. The first half of the match had been terrible, Slytherin had taken the lead by a hundred points to Grydffindors zero and James wasn't really there. Suddenly Madam Hooch blew the whistle and demanded the teams to take a break as she mistook James bad day to be from the extremely cold weather.

"Come on, Prongs, get your head in the game, we've got a bunch of snakes to beat" Sirius tried to be funny but found his own voice to be filled with silent rage.

"Uhm, yeah" James couldn't focus on the game. He was so confused. What had happened to Lily? Did she really still love Snivellus?

On the other side of the locker room Lily Evans were currently arguing vividly with Remus and she wasn't going to back down.

"I DON'T CARE, REMUS, I NEED TO SPEAK TO JAMES" she almost yelled and resisted the urge to punch her friend for not allowing her inside

"Lily, I don't know what the hell you did, but we saw you and then five minutes later James comes storming in and refusing to talk to us but clearly hurting. And this morning he was gone when we got up. He won't eat, he won't talk! You've _wrecked _him". Remus was shocked by his own hostility but he was furious and didn't feel like sparing her the details.

"I know, I screwed up, but I want to fix it. Remus, please," she was whispering now "let me fix it." She was pleading now fighting back tears and Remus gave in with a sighed. He turned towards the door and called

"Prongs, please come out here, someone wants to talk to you". Nothing happened so he tried again "Lily is here".

Suddenly the door swung open and Sirius stormed out and grabbed Lily by the shoulders

"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? COMING HERE KISSING JAMES AND THEN TOSSING HIM ASIDE. THIS IS NOT A GAME, EVANS". He roared and this seemed to wake James from his trance. He brushed past Remus and forced Sirius away from Lily who was now crying.

"Stop yelling at _her _Padfoot". He simply said and the use of her made Lily's tears run faster. She truly had wrecked it.

"James, please. I-I-I, need to talk to you". Lily tried "alone" she added and saw how Sirius was about to yell again. He was clearly not going to let that happen but James turned towards him and motioned for him and Remus to leave.

The boys reluctantly left the two of them alone and Lily wiped the tears from her face and took a deep breath.

"James. I'm so sorry about yesterday. I was a coward and I wasn't really prepared to face _him. _I mean. I really like you I do, but he was my best friend for years and then he said that and then we were not friends and I was all alone and" her voice broke and tears were again streaming down her face "I don't know James, I'm so confused. I like you and I hate myself for hurting you and I'm so sorry. Please forgive me". She was pleading now.

James stood for a while looking at her, a million thoughts ran through his mind. She had come to apologize and he wanted to hug her and forgive her, Merlin knows, he already had, but he had to be sure to do it right. He had to make sure not to scare her off again - she was like a fragile doe. If he forced her she would run off and he had to be careful. With a deep breath he slowly put both of his hands on the sides of her face and wiped away her tears. She looked at him through her long eyelashes and he felt warm inside. He knew that she wanted to be with him and he knew she would just need some time to come to terms with it.

"Lily, it's okay, I was just, you know, worried, that you might have feelings for _him". _There, he had said it, the thing that was hurting him the most.

She looked at him and slowly shook her head "No, James, I've never loved him that way. He was a dear friend, but" she paused, a faint blush creeping up her neck, she took a deep breath "James, I've never felt anything for anyone as I do for you". She answered truthfully.

This seemed to do it and grinning he leant down and softly kissed her lips "that was all I needed to hear, Lily, now I have go and beat a bunch of snakes". He squeezed her hand and turned towards the Gryffindor locker-room, "All right boys, come on out now". Remus and Sirius appeared after a second the first wearing a smile but the other still wearing a rather grim expression.

"Let's get back to the stands, eh, Lily?" Remus asked and as he and Lily began climbing back to the Gryffindor stands Sirius turned to his best friend

"So, Prongs, can go back to win this game now?" he knew he wouldn't gain anything from arguing about Lily and decided to keep it lightly.

They went back to the Quidditch pitch with renewed hope and James showed once and for all why Gryffindor was the best team in the school as they in less than twenty minutes turned the game completely and won by more than two hundred points. The rest of the school watched in astonishment how the red and gold team went from losers to victors and little did they know that all of this was due to a certain red-haired witch who was madly in love with the Gryffindor captain and had just confessed that in some way at least.


	6. Chapter 6

The whole kiss then fight then Quidditch-makeup kiss incident had come with certain issues for Lily and James with the whole relationship eventually having to become public. As Gryffindor hosted a victory party the couple found it hard to get a chance to talk but eventually snuck out from the common room with a little help from Sirius and Marlene who made a rather disgusting public snog to divert attention from James and Lily. The second the Fat Lady shut behind them James took Lily's hand and let her towards the first unused classroom he could find. They sat next to each other on a desk, still holding hands.

"So, ehm," James blushed a little, still holding on to Lily's hand "should we talk about this whole _us-thing"_ he seemed uncertain and Lily felt a twinge of guilt as she realised that he was, in fact, still waiting for her to run away from him.

"James, I know that I have acted a bit strange and to be honest I am terrified" she paused, fighting for the right words, she would have be careful not to hurt him "I've practically spent the last six years disliking you strongly and now suddenly I find myself kissing you and enjoying it and then _he _had to wreck it and I don't have any feelings for him, trust me, it's just" she halted, fighting back tears as the ghost of her former friend came back to haunt her.

"You miss him" he finished her sentence quietly and dropped her hand.

"No, I don't miss him, because the Severus I used to know is lost. James, please, look at me" she paused until his eyes met hers "I _want _to be with you". She slowly slid of the table and went to stand in front of him, lifting his chin and forcing him to look at her she stood up on her toes and slowly planted a kiss on his lips. This seemed to convince him and he kissed her back with an equal emotion of love and quickly slid of the table and wrapped his arms around her waist holding her as close as possible. Coming up for air Lily broke the kiss and tilted her head back to look up at James. He was a head taller than her even a bit more and she realised just how perfect her own head fitted into the crook of his neck as she snuggled closer to him. He responded by tightening his grip on her and in their embrace she felt all of his desperation. She felt just why he _needed_ to hold her close, why he needed her to be near him and why he needed her to return his feelings. She had never experienced such emotions before and she slowly realised just how much James loved her, she had shut him out, hurt him and yelled at him for so many years, never realising that his endless taunts and pranks had been a desperate shout for her attention. He loved her so much that he was willing to hurt and maybe, she thought, willing to die for her. They stood there for a while holding on to each other relishing in their newfound love trying not to think about what they would have to face. Going public. Lily cringed a bit at the thought causing James to look down at her with his eyebrows raised.

"We have to go back there and face them, before they realise that their hero is gone" Lily stated and looked down, she was ashamed by fearing their return to the dormitory but James forced her to look at him mistaking her blush

"Are you ashamed of being with me?" he tried to hide the worry in his voice not quite succeeding

"No, it's just, I hate unnecessary attention and _we _are definitely going to get attention when we suddenly turn up together, holding hands" she mumbled still going redder and stubbornly staring at the floor.

He laughed at her blushing face and bent down to reach her eye level "I thought you liked attention, judging by some of the telling-offs I've received in the past".

"Well, that's not the same. This will have people _talking_ about us and, unlike you, I don't enjoy being the topic of the gossips around the school". She retorted.

"Come on, Lils, they'll get over it soon enough, but you have to realise that this is huge news right?" he was still amused by her fear of rumours and gossips. He held out his hand for her and she took it somehow reluctantly and he thought he heard her mumble something about _being Alice and Frank and unnoticed_. Standing before the Fat Lady, who raised her eyebrows at the couple holding hands, Lily felt her face go tomato-red and she cursed her ginger-looks looking to James for support but scowling at his evident smirk.

"If you get all cocky I might reconsider" she warned, all though not meaning her words, she knew him after all and he would get cocky at some point, it was rooted in his nature.

"Sorry, sweety, wanna head inside?" he held on to her hand tightly as to reassure her and it helped a little bit. Taking a deep breath they crawled inside the common room still buzzing with celebration and as soon as the portrait shut all eyes were on them – or on their entangled hands and a ringing silence fell over the room. Then as if on cue a sudden applause involving a lot of catcalls, most of them from Remus, Marlene and Sirius, erupted and Lily once again went tomato-red in her face, but noted with a bit of satisfaction that James too, had gone a little red.

* * *

The news of the two Heads getting together spread like a wildfire and even the teachers was a bit taken aback by the news, but nonetheless everyone seemed to think _finally_, well with the exceptions of a certain male Slytherin and a bunch of girls who had had a crush on James. Lily had hoped the rumours would die down and eventually let her enjoy having a boyfriend but that was not the case. After a week it became too much and Lily snapped, much to the rest of the school's amusement, as Severus and his friends happened to be the victims of her outworn patience and was chased out of the great hall and spent the rest of the day followed by angry bats trying to peck out their eyes. This hex did unfortunately cause Lily to get her very first detention and somehow Sirius and James managed get detentions as well as they tried to talk McGonagall out of giving Lily a detention that same evening.

Later in the common room the Marauders were currently lodged on the comfy couches with Lily and her friends. Remus and Mary was sitting on the floor playing chess and trying not to look at each other, Marlene was trying to help a helplessly blushing Peter with herbology, while Sirius sat and watched his love-struck room-mates – Remus, stubbornly ignoring that Mary indeed reciprocated his feelings and Peter madly in love with an oblivious Marlene, Alice and Frank was in deep conversation in a small loveseat and to his right James was currently playing with strands of Lily's hair as she rested against his side with a thick book. He smiled to himself at the sight and in his mind deciding to team up with James and the girls trying to force Remus into action with Mary. Moony could use some action and _love_. Slightly bored with the rest of the lot he went back to nagging Lily for her hex.

"So how exactly did you do that, Lily?" Sirius tried for the hundredth time that afternoon, still amazed by the persistence of Lily's hex

"I won't tell you, Sirius, I do not believe it can lead to any good" Lily replied, smugly.

"Aw, come on" James continued and took Sirius side, but held her closer against his side "it could prove to be very useful for us".

"No, and if you paid attention in charms you would understand" Lily chided, but failed to hide a smile at the boys mischievous glances as they had a silent conversation

"We don't need to pay attention, we're natural talents, and if we ever need to we just copy Moony's notes" Sirius simply stated with his usually Black arrogance and smirked at Lily, who stared at Remus with disbelief

"Don't let copy your notes, Remus!" he just shrugged with a lazy smile and returned to his game of chess with Mary

Lily sighed in defeat and turned her attention towards her two friends playing chess and it once again struck her just how perfect they seemed to be for each other. The chess board suddenly went havoc as Mary's queen smashed Remus' king and as Mary danced a small victory dance she stumbled over James foot (he deliberately stuck it out, Lily noticed) and landed straight into Remus' shocked arms and as the rest howled with laughter the pair both blushing furiously quickly untangled themselves and slid as _far_ away from each other as the four surrounding couches allowed them which wasn't more than a few centimetres as Sirius and James promptly drew their couches together. Remus scowled at his friends who were looking innocently at Peter's herbology book, but couldn't help but feel just how his heart was racing as his arms still touched Mary's.

A while later James, Sirius and Lily left for their detention, Alice and Frank went for a walk, Marlene gave up helping Peter, who had another detention with Filch and suddenly Remus and Mary was left alone still sitting closely together. Neither knowing what to say but both seriously aware of the electricity between them, but Mary eventually found the courage to talk and asked Remus to go on a walk with her. They walked along the corridors as the sun was setting outside the castle and with a deep breath she decided to confess her crush

"Remus" she started, and felt a blush creep up on her tanned cheeks and she silently blessed her not so evident red cheeks as Remus blushed to crimson_ "ireallylikeyoubutit'sokayifyoudon'tlikeme"_

"I like you too" he breathed awkwardly and with little hesitation held out his hand for her. She took it willingly and he felt his heart flutter.

He wasn't sure how much time passed, he just knew how much he liked kissing Mary, how much he liked running his hands through her hair, how much he liked to hold her close to him and how much he liked the way she responded to him. He was standing with his back against the wall in some abandoned class room with Mary in front of him, kissing him, but their embrace was suddenly interrupted by a "WHOA MOONY" and three shocked figures in the doorway. Remus' head jerked up to see Lily, Sirius and James staring at them with jaws hanging open.

Mary turned in his arms and managed a rather shaking "Hey, guys" then she untangled herself from Remus and mumbled "um, midnight all ready? Better be heading back then, night, Remus, come on Lily" she tugged Lily's arm and dragged her towards their dorm.

Remus stood as if he was nailed to the ground and felt slightly guilty as he realised what had just happened. James and Sirius seemed to understand as their friend's face fell and he slid down on the ground with a hmpf.

"Come on, Moony, Mary MacDonald, not bad, not bad at all" James tried, already knowing the speech Moony was about to give.

"Not _bad _James_? _It is bad, it is disgusting, it is _wrong! _I'm a freaking monster, I even enjoyed it and she doesn't even know, she doesn't know what I _am_". He still hid his face in his hands, but they wouldn't argue with him, they were just going to have to convince him that he was not a monster!


End file.
